Burns & Blisters
by dietcokecigarettes
Summary: Lorna Morello has just moved to NYC with Christopher and she bumps into somebody who may change everything for her. Does not follow story line of OITNB. Nicky/Lorna. Reviews are extremely appreciated!
1. Burns & Blisters

"Oh I'll be back, don't you worry." I said as I shut the door behind me, stepping out into chilly, autumn aired streets of Manhattan. Breaking in my new boots was at least 10x more painful than I imagined it would be. I could already feel my heel rubbing against the tough material, chafing and sliding against my skin." Ow." I mumbled under my breath with each excruciating step. It must've looked like I was waddling, but these boots were free anyway, so it's okay.

"Hi, yes can I get a small hot french vanilla, milk and one Splenda please." I smiled at the girl behind the counter.

"And your name?" She stood waiting with her marker against the cup.

I told her my name was Lorna, and she asked me to repeat it. "Lorna, it don't matter how ya spell it." I smiled.

"That'll be right up!"

I start back to my apartment, sipping my coffee and walking as light on my tender feet as I can. I love the way my red lipstick sticks against the cup. It's like my signature, and Christopher loves it. "Shit!" Christopher! He told me he wanted a coffee cake. I completely forgot. I turned right around, and knocked into the girl walking behind me, my coffee splashing everywhere, drenching my shirt.

"Aw fuck, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, looking down at my shirt. Her hair was wild, strawberry blonde, and she was wearing a black jacket with zippers all over and black jeans, lips perked out holding the cigarette hanging out her mouth.

"Oh it's not your fault," I reassured her, "I didn't mean to hit ya like that when I turned around." I started wiping the coffee off of my shirt.

"There's no chance in hell that coffee won't stain that shit forever, I honestly would help you buy a new one, but I'm fuckin' broke."

"Don't even worry about it, the shirt was free anyways. Gee, that coffee was hotter than it tasted!" I waved my hands at my chest. My skin is literally burning, it feels tight and scratchy already.

The girl put her hands against my chest, directly under my collar bones.

"Hhholy shit, your skin is like on fire!" Her H hung onto the word as she spoke it, exhaling a laugh. Her hands were cold from the 50 degree air around us, and they felt heavenly on my burn.

"Where ya headed anyways?" She grinned, as her cigarette filled the air with smoke.

I explained, "I was headin' back to Starbucks to get my boyfriend a pastry, but I think I'll go home and change for now. I guess that's a good reminder not to forget about him!" I giggled, hoping it would make her laugh too.

She took a drag of her cigarette and had a huge smile on her face, her teeth looked perfect and white.

"Well let me walk you back, I live down here too. What apartment complex? I'm down in Brookside."

"You're kiddin! I just moved in there last week with Christopher. We love it, I'm surprised I haven't seen ya around yet!" I'm shocked there are coincidences like this in the big city.

"Oh no shit?!" She nods. Well hey, looks like there's no gettin' rid of me now. Where ya from?" Her voice was raspy, but smooth at the same time.

"Oh, I'm from Massachusetts, Christopher wanted to move down here so he can be closer with his family." I didn't want to sound like a rookie, but I'm sure that's how she took it.

"Well welcome to the big city, kid. Hang with me, you'll like it here. I think I can show you a good time." Her cheeky smile wound down into a smirk, and she exhaled a cloud of smoke.

People say that it's normal for girls to be attracted to other girls, but I'm sure being intrigued in the first five minutes of meeting is a bit out of bounds. We approached the steps into the building, and she opened the door for me.

"Thank you." I said sweetly with a smile on my face.

"I mean it's the least I could do, right?" She joked. "What floor you on?"

"We're on 5th, what about you?"

"I'm up on 7th, how the hell did you get the quiet floor just moving in?" Her eyes gloomed at me.

"Oh, just luck I guess." I said.

We stood in the elevator and I could smell the cigarette lingering on her body. Somehow it smelt good, and it surprisingly over powered the scent of the coffee radiating from my chest.

"So this Christopher, he's your boyfriend, yeah?"

"Yep, we're 5 months strong this Friday." I got giddy over the thought of it.

"Jeez, 5 months and already moved in together?"

I started to feel awkward. "Yeah, he likes to do things pretty quick, and I love him, so I figured why not?"

"Interesting." She said, almost as if she didn't expect it to last.

The elevator dinged at the 5th floor.

"Here I am. I'll see ya around, um?" I realized I hadn't even got her name.

"It's Nicky, and you are... Lorna? Just guessing from your coffee cup. No creepy shit, I promise." She grinned and giggled.

I laughed, "Yeah, that's me. It was nice to meet ya, bye now." I walked out.

I swear I could see her eyes moving up and down my body as the doors closed. _Nicky_. I thought to myself, this is gonna be interesting. I realized that entire time I had forgotten about the blisters on my heals, I don't know if it was from the burn of the coffee, or the sound of Nicky's voice, or her crazy hair, or her smile, or her - okay Lorna. Stop.

As soon as I saw Christopher sitting in the kitchen, I smiled.

"You'll never guess what just happen-"

He cut me off. "Where's my food?" He extended his arm on the table like it was too heavy to hold.

"I got into a little mix up, I spilled my coffee before I could go back to get ya one, but I met this really nice girl who lives 2 floors up! What a coincidence, I-"

"So you're saying you bought yourself a coffee and left my shit behind? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Christopher, I'm sorry, I-I didn't leave yours behind," I'm feeling nervous, I don't want him to do what he did last time. I realize I probably look like a lost puppy.

"Well it sure fucking looks like it. Why are you like this to me, Lorna? What the fuck did I do to you?"

"You didn't do nothin', I'm sorry, I'll go out and get one right now. I wanted to just change real quick."

"I don't give a shit if your shirt is soaked. Go."

I had no choice. I never should have forgotten about him. He's probably going to hate me now, or even worse. He might hurt me. My eyes are watering as I head out into the hallway. Now the coffee on my shirt has gone cold, my feet are throbbing in pain, and I'm freezing as I walk out into these intimidating streets, again.


	2. Booze & Betrayal

I walked back into the apartment building, still nervous and anxious and scared and worried that something bad might happen. Coffee still all over my white button up shirt, now dried, and stained onto my burnt skin. I stepped into the elevator, and it took everything for me to press the 7 button instead of the 5. I really didn't want to go back to Christopher at this moment, but Nicky would think I'm crazy to go to her door, crying like a loonatic.

I walked into our apartment, to Christopher waiting on the couch. He looked up, "Baby, I'm sorry I went off on you like that. I just had a long night. Work is really stressing me out right now, being my first week and all."

"It's okay, ya just scared me a little bit." I nervously smiled and handed him his pastry.

He put his arm around me and held me close. We sat in silence as he ate his coffee cake for a few minutes before his phone rang, and he got called into work. He's a bartender at a nearby pub, "Leo's."

"I wish we could spend the night together babe but I can't turn this down, I'll sneak into bed with you when I get home. Should be around 1-1:30." He kissed my forehead as he got up, grabbed his jacket and walked out.

I was almost disappointed until I realized it was the perfect excuse to go to Nicky's door. I mean she did tell me if I hung out with her I'd like it here.

I took a shower and fixed myself up, wearing a little extra lipstick to boost my confidence. I put on a white top, one that shows my stomach a little bit, and black pants I had found in my closet. There was no chance I'd wear my boots, these blisters are still throbbing. I decided to wear my black Toms. A few hours had passed before I finally felt ready and made myself go. I was so nervous, my teeth were almost chattering. I told myself I needed this, stepped out into the hallway, and locked the door behind me. I don't even know if she'll be home, and if she isn't, I'll just watch West Side Story until Christopher comes home.

I got into the elevator and pressed 7. I had butterflies in my stomach the entire way up. I walked down the hallway, room 1A, 2A, 3A.. and finally, 4A. I took a deep breath, and I knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" She called out, sounding a little careless.

"Um, it's Lorna." I fixed my hair at the last second.

She opened the door pretty quickly,

"Oh Lorna! Hey, what's up?" She smiled.

She was wearing red flanneled PJ pants and a white, spaghetti strapped tank top. I guess she likes to stay in, seeing as it's barely 7 o'clock.

"Oh nothin', I was just seein' if ya maybe wanted to do somethin'? Christopher got called into work, and I got nothin to do." I tried not to sound nervous.

Her eyes were wide, "Yeahyeahyeah, come on in! I'm not doing much."

I walked into her apartment, and the first thing I noticed was that she had a view of the street from her window, which my apartment didn't have. Her apartment  
>consisted of a tiny kitchen, with a table against the wall that could sit 3, maybe 4 people. Connected to her kitchen was her living room, which there lay a navy blue couch in front of a TV. A small hallway, with a bathroom and a bedroom.<p>

"You got a nice view in here! All I got to look at is a brick wall at my place."

"Yeah it's pretty neat, watching the tourists and all of the drunk kids stumble down the sidewalk, that is when it's not myself."

I laughed. "You like to drink?"

"If you knew me, that would have been the dumbest question ever. Looks like you got a lot to learn, kid. You want a beer? Wine? A shot or 7?" She asked me as she opened her fridge.

"I'll have what you're havin-"

"You think you can keep up?" She smiled as she grabbed two shot glasses.

"I'll see what I can do." I giggled as I took a seat at her table.

She leaned over the table and gave me a shot of Captains.

"Cheers to running into each other."

"Cheers."

Our glasses clanked, and both our heads shot back, forcing the mouthful of rum down our throats.

"So whattya wanna do?" She asked me as I was still recovering from the alcohol burning my throat.

"I dunno, what's there ta do?" I crossed my hands on her table and leaned forward.

"You name it, it's New York." She quickly jumped off the edge of her sentence, "Hey what's your last name? Maybe we should learn each other's names before we get into any mischeif."

We both laughed, I didn't even realize I knew nothing about this girl. I didn't feel like I needed to, she was really a 'what you see is what you get' kinda deal.

"Morello, and what's yours Ms. Nicky?"

"That's Ms. Nicky Nichols to you, Morello." Her smirk lit up, and there was a little devilish stare in her eyes.

We looked at each other for a few seconds, before she offered me another shot. I nodded, and I watched as she poured it perfectly into the glass. Her hair was still wild, and I couldn't help but stare at her figure. Her flannel pants hung from her hips, tied at the waistband and rolled over twice. They were obviously too big, but it looked good, well, fucking hot. Her tank top rose up a little, baring an inch or two of her slim stomach, and you could see she was wearing a black lace bra underneath. It looked like she had a tattoo up her side, but it was too hard to tell.

"Here ya go" She carefully handed the shot to me, it was up to the lip of the glass, spilling a bit as I took it from her hands.

She licked her fingers before she threw the gulp in her other hand back.

"Jeez Nicky, these shots are big!" I had a huge smile on my face.

"If you wanna back out, shit, by all means, do so, but you _did _you'd try to keep up." She finally took the seat across from me.

"I'm keepin' up, I'm keepin' up!" I took it and fought making a face at the harshness of the shot.

"So what are we doin'? We stayin in, going out, what?" She leaned back.

"Well I haven't really gotten to take in the city yet, how bout ya show me around?"

"Sounds like a plan, lemme get dressed yeah? You can drink more if ya want." She walked towards her room and I watched her go, almost wishing I didn't ask to go out.

I sat there, feeling the warmth in my stomach and the sting of the alcohol in the back of my throat. I'm already buzzed, and I know it won't be long before she gets me absolutely shitfaced. If this is how it's going to be, I'm going to get her just as drunk. Nicky is intimidating, and I don't have a tough guy bone in my body, but I'm ready to take in the city. I took another shot and she came back around the corner as I slapped the glass back on the table.

"Ohhh, I see how it is. I guess that means I need another one too."

I couldn't help but stare at her, now in black jeans, white shirt tucked in and a black blazer with a gold necklace dangling around her neck. God damn, she knew how to pull everything off.

"Heeeeeyyy! My voice chirped. "We kinda match!"

"What can I say Morello, we look good together. Not gonna lie, you're hot shit." She took another shot, taking two swallows to finish it all.

My lower stomach got warm, most likely not from the alcohol. My tongue started to make circles inside my own mouth and I got a little restless.

"Not too bad yourself, Nichols." This time I was the one that smirked, confidently in effect of the alcohol.

"Well hey, before this gets any worse, or should I say better, let's get outta here. There's nothin you can't fuckin do in this city, let me tell ya."

We got up and headed out to the street.

It was pretty chilly out, but I was buzzed enough to shake it off. Nicky had already lit up a cigarette, which I expected.

"So, you smoke?" She asked.

"No, I used to occasionally, but Christopher always told me he hated it." I walked carelessly down the sidewalk, into the bright lights of my new called home.

"Fuck that, you just gotta do what ya wanna do, kid. Don't let anybody control you, life's too short for that shit, here." She handed me a butt.

We walked, and smoked, and talked until she pulled me into a bar.

Drunk and oblivious, I followed.

I sat down before I realized, _shit._ This is Christopher's bar.

"Nicky, we need to go. Christopher works here. He wouldn't be happy to see me like this."

"What, more interested in someone else?" She smiled.

I smiled with her, but I knew I _really_ needed to get out of here.

"So where is he? I don't see no Christopher."

I looked around, I was unfocused, until my eyes locked in on him. He was standing, dangerously close to some blonde woman with make up caked on her face. He had his hand on the back of her chair, and he wasn't even behind the bar. He put his mouth up to her neck, and for a second I hoped he was only smelling her perfume, until he planted a kiss. I could see it all. My heart sank in my chest.

"Fuck." Nicky realized what I was looking at.

"Let's go kid, come on, let's go." She stood up and pulled at my hand to walk me out.

I was starting to cry. I knew this was bad. So fucking bad. I would rather have him catch me drunk with Nicky. I couldn't walk straight, a mixture of the alcohol and emotion from seeing Christopher doing that. Nicky comforted me and wrapped her arm around me as we walked. I was so distraught, and cold, and drunk. I could hear Nicky in my ear, "It'll all play out, it always does. Life get's shitty, Lorna, it will never be exactly how you want it." I normally would've been caught off guard because that was her first time calling me Lorna in a serious tone, but my mind was fogged with images of Christopher and that girl.

We eventually reached the steps of the apartment building, and my buzz was fading. "Nicky I can't go back to my room yet. He told me he would be home at 1 and it's still only 10."

"Are you kidding me? You think I'm gonna leave your ass alone in your room til that fucker gets back? You're coming with me."

We walked into her room and I went directly to her couch. The saddness now turned to anger, I was so fucking mad.

"He's such a fucking asshole. I can't fuckin believe it! I can't! Can you get me a drink, Nick?"

"On one condition- you don't turn into the sobbing girl, wasted with her face on my toilet seat, that's happened wayyyy too many times. You gonna be good?"

I smiled and nodded.

"I'll make ya somethin' good. Ay I got Netflix on there if ya wanna watch anything. Do us a favor, no rom coms." Her voice rasped, New York accent in full swing.

I scrolled through the titles, unsure of what to choose. "You wanna watch anything specific?" I raised my voice to her in the kitchen.

She walked back in and handed me my drink. "Your choice, and this should help ya out a bit." She headed back to the kitchen to make one of her own.

I finally put on _Weeds,_ I used to watch this show all the time. I figured it'd be right up Nicky's alley.

I sipped my drink, it was strong and surprisingly fruity.

"Oh I love this show!" She got excited and sat right next to me, holding her drink between her legs.

We laughed at the show and drank together.

Before I knew it I was wasted, and finally her liver gave in as well. It was great to see Nicky finally let something overpower her. It was tough to get used to at first. We kept leaning into each other back and forth, laughing obnoxiously loud. I couldn't control putting all of my weight on her as she did the same to me.

"Hey, these jeans are uncomfortable as fuck, I'm gonna get in my outfit from earlier, you want a pair of pants or somethin?"

"yyyesss" I slurred into laughter, as she got up and went to her room.

She stumbled back, and I forgot what she was even doing in there before she threw a pair of sweatpants at me.

"Here, these should fit you."

They smelt like Nicky, clean like cheap dryer sheets. The bottom of one leg was starting to shred, I imagine because Nicky's too short for them and steps on them when she walks.

"Thanks Nick, you're the best."

I got up right in front of her, and stripped my pants down, and took my shirt off, too drunk to care what I was doing.

"Ohhhh" She quietly growled.

"You watchin' me?" I asked as I laughed and tried to aim my foot into the hole of the pants.

"Depends, you want my honest answer or my ... errr well yes," She slurred in her gravely voice. "Couldn't help it with a body like that."

"W-wait, I don't have a shirt on, ya didn't get me a shirt, Nichols!" I laughed and slid my feet on the floor.

"Aw shit, I'm sorry, it seems my legs are broken and I can't go get you one." She joked, and made it clear she really didn't want to get me one.

I smiled and sat back down on the couch in my bra and her baggy sweatpants.

"Yknnnow, Nichols, you got me drunk. Ium druink." I couldn't help the way I sounded, and I leaned in closer to her.

"Glad you're feelin good, kid. I missed that smile."

"FUCK Christopher! Fuck him!" I shouted.

"ayheyhey!" She put her finger over my lips and shhhhhhh'd me.

"We should get you home kid, it's almost 1. Can't fuck anything up anymore than it is. I'll walk you home and you can pass out, forget about this shit til tomorrow. Don't wake up for him tonight, hear me? Don't. Cmon, you can keep my pants for now, don't worry about it."

She lifted me off her couch.

"Let's get your shirt back on", she struggled to put it over my head because I was not cooperating.

She held me up as I walked unevenly down the hallway, approaching my door.

"Fuck, it's locked, you got your key?"

"Ohhhh no, it's in my pants pocket.. on your floor." I smiled.

"Ahh, one sec." She rifled through the pockets of her pants and found a bobby pin. She picked the lock within seconds.

"Should I be worried your so good at that?" I asked.

"I'm good at a lot of things." She stared down at me, sexy straight face. "But no, not a thing to worry about with me, Morello, I'm all out on the table." She stepped

in my apartment and walked me in.

"Nice place." She said.

I started towards my bed and held Nicky's hand. I had no intention of dragging her behind me, but I did.

"Nicky, come here." I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled her into me, standing between my legs.

I know I'm drunk, but not drunk enough to not know what I'm doing.

I kissed her on the lips, grabbing her jaw and pulling it into mine. Her kiss was amazing, and before I knew it, Ms."I can't fuck anything up more than it is" Nichols, slid her tongue inside my mouth. Our tongues swam with each other, and she was so good at it, staying soft and forceful at the same time. She knew exactly what she was doing. I moaned into her mouth, and eventually pulled her onto me as I fell to my back on the side of my bed.

"Are you sure?" Her croaky voice whispered between hot kisses.

"Yes." I said quickly, returning to her lips and running my hands through her hair and face.

She rubbed her hands up my body and we grinded into each other, our breathing getting heavier and heavier.

Eventually her soft tongue landed on my neck, sucking and slithering, driving me crazy. She gently bit me and I squirmed as she began to get rougher and rougherwith me. I tore my shirt off as fast as I could, allowing her to work her way down my chest and stomach, I let out a surrendering moan, and just as I did - I heard our door open.

I startled at the noise and we immediately stopped.

"Shit shit shit" Nicky said quietly, panicking off of me.

"Hide, just hide!" I told Nicky as I put myself under the covers and pretended to be asleep.

Nicky crawled into the corner of our room, behind the door, completely silent.

Christopher came in, reaking of booze and perfume. I still continued to pretend to sleep.

"You awake baby?" He said softly.

He climbed into bed next to me, buying my sleep act.

Nicky waited about 20 minutes or so, until she heard Christopher's drunk and exhausted snores to sneak out againI managed to stay awake until she left me, right on the edge, needing and aroused. I had to sleep this off, and see what tomorrow brings. Until then, I dreamt of Nicky's body against mine, the feeling of her tongue on my skin...Asleep.


	3. A Little Irresponsible

Christopher rolled over and planted a kiss on my cheek. As soon as my eyes opened, I immediately became aware of my throbbing headache and nausea. I groaned, and rolled back over with my back facing him. He snuggled up behind me and put his arms around my waist.

"Babe, who's pants are these?"

My eyes went wide and I remembered that I was still in Nicky's pants. If my body wasn't retaliating for the amount of alcohol I consumed last night, it might've brought a smile to my face.

"They're Nicky's, we hung out last night. Christopha I feel so sick." I mumbled.

"Okay babe, go back to sleep. I'll get you some water to keep by the bed." He got up and headed to the kitchen.

I was surprised that he didn't care I was hungover, or that I hung out with Nicky. I can still see him touching that girl at his bar, I just can't get the energy to be angry right now, not with this headache. I fell back asleep for another hour and woke up feeling a little better.

I walked out to the living room and saw him sitting on the couch watching the news. I didn't even know if I should ask him about that girl at the bar, I'm in no position to talk because of the what _I _did last night. I decided to forget about it all and block it out, I can't mess things up right now, we just moved in and this is when everything's supposed to be perfect.

I searched for my phone in the pockets of Nicky's pants, in my bed and all around. I must've left it at her apartment. I was just about to go down a few floors and knock on her door, when I walked past my table and saw it sitting there. I never put my phone there, Nicky probably did last night.

I unlocked my screen and it immediately opened to a new contact, "Nicky Nichols" with her phone number put in. I smiled and decided to shoot her a text.

_Thanks for keepin me sane last night. I owe ya one ;)_

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_No problem kid. How u feeling? Maybe u can make it up to me another time._

_(Lorna)_

_A little sick. I only get hang overs when I have too much fun._

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_No such thing. Maybe ill run into u and spill ur coffee on u again later._

_(Lorna)_

_With any luck. :)_

I got into the shower and as I rinsed my fingers through my hair I couldn't help but smile, thinking about Nicky. I didn't know someone who's name I just learned last night could make it feel like I knew her forever. Usually when I'm upset, especially about Christopher, I'm a trainwreck. I can't tell if I feel guilty about everything that's happening between him and I or relieved that he's cheating too. It's all starting to chip away at my emotions.

When I stepped out onto the shower rug, I glanced at myself in the mirror before putting my hair in a towel. I noticed a beat red hickey on the side of my neck, right above my collar bone. I panicked, what if Christopher sees? He'll be so angry. I immediately put my wet hair back down and headed to the bedroom, frantically looking for my makeup bag to cover it up.

Christopher came in as I was nervously searching.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I just can't find my makeup anywhere." He can always tell when I'm vulnerable, and he knows how self conscious I am without it.

"So I wanna meet this Nicky girl, you should tell her to come over sometime. I don't want you hanging out with any trouble makers." He stood in the doorway.

I finally found my make up, and all I want to do is go back into the bathroom and cover this hickey. I can't get by him standing in the doorway like that without him seeing it.

"I can ask her if she wants to have dinner with us tonight or somethin'? She's real fun." I suggested, hoping he would take a few steps in any direction so I could get by.

He stood like a rock.

I started towards him, still wrapped in my towel and I was clearly unsettled. "I'm gonna go put my make up on."

He tipped my chin up with his thumb, and in that moment I thought he was going to see, and the world was surely going to crash and burn.

"You look fine without it too, babe." He smiled, completely unaware of my deliciously bitten and bruised neck.

I tried to smile back through the excruciating fear that was in my bones, and I walked under his arm that was propped against the door frame and into the bathroom.

It was now almost dinner time, and I decided to shoot Nicky a text about dinner.

_(Lorna)_

_Hey, Christopher says he wants to meet you. wanna swing by for dinner at my place tonight? if you got other plans i understand._

_(Nicky)_

_Ya know u dont need to make excuses to see me right? _

_(Lorna)_

_Funny. come over at 6? BTW- i decided not to mention anything. it'd be too much right now._

_(Nicky)_

_My lips are sealed. See u then. Troublemaker._

I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that she called me a troublemaker after hearing Christopher saying he needed to make sure _she_ wasn't one.

Christopher made grilled chicken and I made homemade mac n cheese for Nicky's arrival. I set our table and poured some wine for all three of us. I was nervous that something might slip out under normal conversation between the three of us, I could only pray that it didn't. I was anxious the entire time leading up to her getting here.

It was now 6:08 and Nicky came knocking to the door.

I opened it and she gave me a hello hug, and whispered in my ear and giggled, "Holy shit, your neck."

I whispered back- "He didn't see. Shhhh." I was surprised that she saw it right away, I thought I had done a pretty good job covering it up.

I introduced her to Christopher and they said their hellos. As they made the typical 'hi how are you' small talk, my eyes wandered up and down Nicky's body. She was wearing a long sleeved shirt, which were pushed up to the middle of her forearm and tight black pants that just barely covered her ankles. She had rings on her fingers and her hair was more tamed than usual, but still had its signature Nicky fierceness. She smelt like sweet conditioner. I had to unlock my eyes when he walked her to the table and sat down.

I strategically had Nicky sit to my left, and Christopher to my right so the redness on my neck was facing Nicky. I could see her gawking at it from time to time with that smirk that she does. I couldn't keep a straight face when I'd see her doing that.

"So Christopher, I hear your a bartender, yeah? You like it?" She asked him.

He replied, "Yeah I work down at Leo's on 44th. You ever been?" He was so fucking oblivious that it made me clench my jaw.

"No, actually I haven't. Lot of nice people there? Pretty girls? Nice guys?" She was obviously being a smartass, only between her and I. There was no doubt in my mind that Nicky had been to every bar in New York City. I was anxious to see how Christopher would respond to these questions. I swear Nicky is like a mind reader or something.

"Yeah, there's a lot of good people. Everyone's really friendly for a bar that gets overwhelmed with obnoxious college students." He said as he chewed his chicken.

"So I get that you like to drink?" He asked her, sounding borderline rude. "My Lorna didn't feel too good this morning, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" He was joking, but deep down I knew he was jealous, even a little concerned.

Nicky was unsure how to feel, and she looked at me for guidance. I gave her a friendly nod.

"Hey, I mean I can drink, yeah. But I think she was the one to be worrying about, I was trying to tell her that rum wasn't candy!" She started laughing, covering up our drunken shenanigans with humor.

I laughed with her and started to clarify what she meant.

"In my defense, Christopha, I can handle my alcohol, you know me, I'm responsible." I grabbed his shoulder in reassurance.

"I hope so." He said.

"Sometimes everyone's gotta be a little irresponsible sometimes though, yknow? We all do." Nicky said as she put her hand on my thigh under the table. I readjusted, trying to keep on a good poker face.

"I guess so." I think Christopher may have gotten the wrong idea about Nicky's statement, but who is he to talk?

Dinner eventually ended and I offered to walk Nicky back to her room. We walked down towards the elevator.

"I can see right through that fucker, Morello. He doesn't care, his smile was fake the whole fuckin' time." She said to me.

"I just really need things to work out right now Nicky, I can't do anything yet. I'll take care of it, trust me." I smiled and nodded innocently and she looked at me with a straight face.

I pushed the button on the elevator and we got in. Instead of pushing number 7, she pushed 10 first. "Why we goin' up to the tenth floor?" I was confused.

"Because." She responded as she backed me into the wall and started to kiss me. I was taken by surprise and as I regained my coherency I put my hands all over her body. She immediately grabbed my wrists from her torso and put them above my head. Her tongue slipped into my mouth and our teeth clanked once or twice, she was the best kisser. She then took both my wrists into her one hand as she put the other gently around my neck, and continued to wrestle my tongue. I wanted to touch her so bad, but she was so good at taking control, it was killing me.

All of a sudden she dropped her body down and took her hands off my wrists and neck and she pushed my shirt up, exposing the waist of my jeans and roughly unbuttoned them, yanking them down and generously kissing my lower stomach, trailing down to my aroused sex. She looked up at me, right into my eyes and her face was straight, and she looked fierce as she covered me in her suctions. She began to suck over my lace panties, and it was driving me crazy.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened to the 10th floor, buts she didn't. For the several seconds the door stayed open, anybody could've walked by and saw us, but nobody did. As the doors closed, I could feel the elevator move down, causing Nicky to add more pressure to sucking on me.

Realizing she didn't have much time left, she pushed my underwear to the side and gave me the flesh to flesh contact I had been squirming for. After pleasing me with her tongue for several seconds, she stood up quickly and held her body pressed hard against mine. She smiled at me and she slipped two fingers inside me. I moaned into her shoulder, biting down as she picked up her speed and leaned into me just as much as I did her. Within seconds, I was climaxing into Nicky's hand and she had a shit eating grin on her face the entire time. As the elevator was just about to stop on her floor, she pulled my jeans up for me and buttoned them, planting a kiss on my lips.

My cheeks were flushed and I was leaned against the wall as the doors rang and opened. I was out of breath, and I couldn't hide the 'just fucked' look if I tried. She smirked and said "Tell Christopher I can be a little irresponsible sometimes." And she walked out, opening the door to her apartment like it was nothing. I tried to gather myself as I went back to my floor, and it took every ounce of effort in my body. I had never came that quickly in my life, and it's never felt so good. There's no getting out of this hole I've dug myself into, and I'm loving it.


	4. Covering Old Evidence

It took me more than the ride back down to my apartment to feel borderline normal again after Nicky left me weak. I couldn't keep the smile off my face, even as I walked back into our apartment.

"What are you so smiley about?" Christopher was putting the dishes away.

I told him Nicky was cracking jokes about drinking rum like it was soda. Which is true.

"So what'd ya think? She seem like a trouble maker?" I asked.

He looked at me, "You two are up to no good, I can see it. But yes, she's cool. You gonna care when I start dragging my new friends in and out of here?"

"Noo! I wanna meet them too, Christopha. We can all hang out. You know what, I think movin' here was our best decision yet." I wiggled my head into a nod and looked at him nicely.

"Jesus, what did she give you? I know you aren't drunk off a glass of wine. I love seeing you this happy, but I gotta admit, it's a little suspicious. Wait- I don't need to worry about you sleeping with a woman do I?" He was cracking himself up at his jokes.

I laughed along with him, "Now that would be irresponsible. You give me everything I need." I squeezed his arm and laughed at my use of _irresponsible_ in my head. "Now whattabout you? You wouldn't happen to have any new lady friends at the bar I'd need to worry about?" For some reason all my giddiness left my body. I was now facing the pain I'd been blocking out since I saw him at the bar. When Nicky isn't distracting me, I can feel it eating away at me.

He turned quickly, "What do you mean?" I could tell he was jumpy, and acting guilty.

"What do you think I mean?" I questioned, now with a straight face and making painful eye contact.

"Lorna are you accusing me of cheating? You don't trust me, is that it?" He was beginning to sound irritated.

"No, I -it's, you did it to me in the past and- ," I stuttered and my eyes began to water.

He noticed I was starting to get upset. "I was in a fucked up situation Lorna, now I know that there's nobody better than you." He grabbed my face. "I mean, nobody with these eyes, these perfect red lips," his hand began to wander down my neck, and the make up that had been covering my battlewound from Nicky was smudged, thanks to her own hand and tongue. I smiled in his hands, covering up the truth behind everything that I know has happened not only with him, but with Nicky as well. I pulled away as he kissed my cheek, just knowing that he would eventually try to have sex with me, not only revealing my hickey on my neck but most likely the ones on my stomach from Nicky's most recent play. Now is when all I can think about is how he was with that girl at the bar. It was weighing down on me heavier than the thought of Nicky was.

Christopher seemed surprised when I walked away, I never turn down to his lovey dovey side. I went and sat on the couch and he raised his voice from the kitchen, still cleaning up from our dinner. "You wanna watch a movie tonight? I don't have to be at work til 8 tomorrow night, so we can stay up late."

"Whattaya wanna watch?" I asked him.

"Anything you want babe, you choose. Just no West Side Story!" He laughed, knowing that would obviously be my first choice.

I scrolled through our Netflix feed and decided on The Town. I love Ben Affleck, he reminds me of Christopher.

Once Christopher was done in the kitchen, he changed into his comfy clothes, which consisted of a white tee and sweatpants. His sweatpants reminded me that I still didn't give Nicky's back to her, not that I wanted to at all. It was a nice reminder. He sat himself next to me and pulled a blanket over us. I loved cuddling with Christopher. I love smelling him, and his scruffy face and stiff, muscular body. We cuddled through the movie in the darkness of the living room, and he tried to seduce me, putting his hand between my legs. I decided to let him continue, to see how I felt with him. I knew masking the pain with sex and alcohol was never a good idea, but it's all I can do right now. Sometimes I wish I never met Nicky, so I could go back to my amazing life with my ... now unfaithful boyfriend. As soon as I remembered that I wasn't the only one twisting our trust, I allowed myself to take Nicky's advice. "_Do what you wanna do kid, life's too short._"

We ended up fucking on the couch in the dark, and he came within what seemed like a minute. If Nicky hadn't given me one of the best orgasms I've ever had in the elevator hours before, I would've been disappointed. He kissed my neck just as hard as Nicky, but not nearly as good, which was now an amazing excuse for the hickey which he was oblivious to earlier. Comparing Christopher's way of fucking me to Nicky's was only adding fuel to the fire. I wonder if he thinks that way about that girl at the bar. I try not to care, but I can't help it.

He passed out on the couch and I slid out from beside him, grabbed my phone and went into my bed. I read through Nicky and I's texts, just because. It was pretty late now, almost 12:30, but I couldn't sleep. I texted Nicky.

_(Lorna)_

_U awake?_

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_Barely. whatsup? cant believe the elevator took us to the wrong floor! weird how those things work. _

_(Lorna)_

_Thank you for that btw. IOU;). But can we talk about that in a little bit? I'm lost. Should I talk to Christopher about that bar girl?_

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_Only if u want shit to hit the fan. U gonna tell him about the girl who lives 2 floors up while ur at it? _

_(Lorna)_

_Noooooooooo way! It's really messing with my head though. can't figure anything out. _

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_Idk what u want me to say. U dont have to hang out with me if u dont wanna. i dont wanna fuck with ur head. but i like u. and im going through some shit right now too and ur helping me through it just like i am u. go with the flow kid. do what u want. day by day. did i fuck u into confusion? _

_(Lorna)_

_Are u ok? Do you want to talk about anything? You don't deserve issues. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. _

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_My shits my shit. U dont need to deal with my problems, i got them. thanks tho. _

_(Lorna)_

_Ok Nick.. and I like you too. Tomorrow night Christopher leaves at 8. Can I see you again?_

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_I'm working til 9. I'll see u when I get out. Lets go out. I got a place in mind. see u then. _

I was already anxious and excited for tomorrow night. I wonder where she's taking me? I could only imagine what she has in mind. I could hear Christopher snoring from the living room, so I shut out door and dozed off with the bed to myself.


	5. Thinking Outloud

I told Christopher that Nicky and I would be going out tonight. I had been anxious all day, and I hoped it wasn't too obvious. I spent a few hours out and about, just walking around and strolling through the city. Christopher wanted to sleep in because he also has to work tonight, which makes me a bit unsettled knowing that he's been unfaithful to me. I know it's selfish to feel that way, because we're both playing the same game, but he broke my heart first. Now I'm living with it... well coping with it, with the help of a friend...who's pulling me in closer and closer everytime I see her.

Christopher keeps nagging me about getting a job, and I know I need to, I just want to soak in the city a bit more before jumping into something. He keeps telling me things like "I can't carry you through everything financially, babe, you gotta do something. Ask Nicky to get you a job at the restaurant she works at, Smokey Wings or something. Seriously, babe, even she has a job." And what the fuck does that mean? _Even she_? He says it like she's trash. And I hate how he calls me babe in the middle of it all, I hate when people sugar coat things. I guess that's one more reason why I'm so drawn to Nicky. That girl doesn't hold anything back, she's so easy to understand when she speaks, yet I have no idea what she's thinking. She's awfully hard to read, and she knows it. Not to mention she's great at using it against me, in every good way possible.

Finally, nagging Christopher was leaving for work. He's working the late shift tonight, 7pm-2am. I was sitting on the counter when he leaned in and said "Bye babe, don't stay out late tonight with Nicky. No mischeif, tell her that too. I want you in bed by the time I get home." He kissed me and smiled, again, sugar coating everything he just said, trying not to sound like the controlling person he is. "We'll see. I'll text you tonight." I smiled and he shut the door behind him.

As soon as he walked out I jumped down off the counter, and got in the shower to start freshening up for when Nicky gets here, especially because were "going out tonight" which means she'll look amazing, so I'm feeling the pressure to impress her as much as she will me. Which is pretty much impossible.

As I was lathering myself in sweet, citrus lime scented body wash I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, all out of my nervousness and excitement. I put myself together and used my brand new lipstick, accepting the fact that it will probably be completely worn off by the end of the night, on the glass of my drinks, the butts of our cigarettes, on Nicky's lips, neck, stomach...if I'm lucky.

I grabbed my phone off the charger and sat at my table, seeing that Nicky had texted me 3 times while I was getting ready.

_(Nicky Nichols)_

_Hey kid im on my way back right now. got out early. im gonna hop in the shower so i dont smell like bbq sauce. _**8:18pm**

_u can come over while i get ready if u want _**8:23pm**

_walk right in. just got home_ **8:30pm**

_(Lorna)_

_You in the shower? I'm gonna come up now._ **8:39pm**

She didn't respond, so I assumed she was still in the shower, making it even better timing to see these texts.

I grabbed my purse, threw a piece of gum in my mouth and started to the seventh floor. I stood in the elevator, going over every scenario in my head of how tonight could go. I walked quickly to her door, just so the thoughts wouldn't start giving me anxiety.

When I walked in, there was no Nicky in sight. I heard the shower running, so I decided to bodly make myself at home. I opened her fridge, grabbed a 40oz and sat on her couch with my feet kicked up on her coffee table, waiting for her to come out. I felt strangely comfortable with her around me, even if she didn't know I was here.

After a few minutes passed, I saw her bathroom door open and a massive cloud of steam roll out, smelling like fruity shampoo and fresh soap. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair down and wet and her body was still dripping. It took every ounce of willpower for me not to rip her towel off and lay her on the floor.

"I see you helped yourself, eh? You're too much, kid, too much." Her words rolled and overlapped each other as she laughed under her raspy voice. She put a hand through her hair and came over to me.

"I just told myself to do what you would do Nick, it was the first thing that came to mind." I smiled, taking another sip of the beer I took from her fridge.

She stood in front of me, still in her towel,leaning closely to my face. She looked in my eyes and suddenly grabbed the beer from my lips, smiled, and took a few big sips for herself. I nearly gasped at how sexy she was, and I looked up at her as the beer flowed into her mouth.

"You look a little thrown off, Morello, am I making you uncomfortable?" She smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing to me. Before I could say anything, she continued, "look, you look too hot right now for me to fuck that up. Let me get dressed before I can't handle myself."

She headed to her bedroom and raised her voice, "Hey, what should I wear? Black, or black?"

I chucked and yelled out, "Surprise me!"

"Be careful what you wish for, Morello, I got a few tricks up my sleeve." She stepped out of her bedroom, black pants on and in her black laced bra, still in the process of putting her shirt on. God damn she was driving me crazy. Why can't I have these kinds of superhuman powers? I thought to myself.

"Well I like your surprises Nicky." I nodded my head into another sip.

"So where we going?" I'm so curious, I'm actually getting restless because even if the night ended now, I'd be happy.

"You'll see."

I followed Nicky's lead as she walked down the busy streets of Friday night Manhattan. After a little while she finally grabbed my hand and walked me into a building I had never seen before.

We walked through the doors, and it was immediately overwhelming. There were hundreds of people, flashing lights, loud music and drinks everywhere. Nicky was all smiles, as she lead me to a table and got us two shots. "So whattaya think?" She asked.

"This is um.. crazy." To be completely honest, I was expecting something different. We took the shots and as the alcohol kicked in it made me more comfortable in my surroundings.

We walked past people doing all sorts of crazy things, some were grinding on each other, some were screaming, some were fighting, I'm pretty sure I even saw some people doing blow and ecstasy.

After a short period of time, Nicky wiggled us through the crowd and into a hallway that was connected to the club. We were both drunk and I honestly had no idea what was going on. She dragged me up sets of stairs that seemed to go on forever. Finally, we got to a door that looked like it had been knocked down a few times. She had to use her foot to open it, and it flung open, hitting the wall on the opposite side. What I was now looking at was the entire skyline of New York City. We could see everything. Lights of all different colors, and it was quiet enough that we could just barely hear the taxis beeping. It was breathtaking.

"So, NOW, whattayathink? Little better, yeah?"

"Nicky, this is amazing!" I was so out of breath from not only the stairs, but the lights of the city.

"I figured you'd like it up here, come here, lets sit down." She waved me over to a part of the roof where we could see everything even as we sat down. "Want some?" She pulled out a bottle of Jack from out of no where.

"Nick, where'd you get that?!" I giggled, and I knew that she wouldn't be able to go through the night without doing atleast one troublemaker move.

"Eh, I stole it from the bar on the way by- but it doesn't matter, here." She handed me the bottle after she took a sip herself. She lit up a cigarette and sighed, taking in all of what was around us.

"This is so cool Nick, you planned all this?" I took a swig from the bottle and tried not to make a stink face from the whiskey.

"You think I'd take you to a club sober? Yo, I don't even like that type of shit. I'd need to be rolling or something to enjoy any shit like that." She passed me her cigarette. I could taste the whiskey from her mouth on it as I took a drag, and it was getting harder and harder for me to contain myself.

We laid back and smoked the rest of the cigarette together, and we're both drunk at this point. The sky was lit up, and the stars were bright. There was a cold breeze, and the sounds of the city were swarming in the air around us.

"Hey Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I just think out loud for a second?" I asked her.

"aa'course kid, whatsup?" She seemed to put her sarcastic front on hold and showed her serious side, which made me feel safe. I don't know what I'm feeling right now, I don't know what time it is and frankly I don't care about anything other than this moment.

"Is it bad if I tell you I really like doin' this stuff with you?" I stared at the sky, waiting for a response.

"I mean, in the macro sense, no. You have a boyfriend, and this shit just kind of fell into our laps. It's all a huge fuckin' mess- but it's not just you. It's Christopher too, and well, me."

"I'm so sorry." Her words made me realize that everything that's happened is because I allowed it to. It's no longer Christopher's fault that I'm with Nicky. Even if he hadn't cheated first, this would still be happening. It's more than a rebound right now.

She turned her body toward me, "Ay, sorry for what?" Her voice gave out when she said that, and I replayed it a million times in my head. "Takes two people to fuck up. And sometimes fuck ups aren't actual fuck ups, yknow?"

I couldn't help but smile. I snapped back into it and noticed how cold the roof was on my back, and how chilly it was around us. I moved into Nicky for a hug, and we laid there in each others shoulders for a minute or two in silence.

"It's cold as fuck, Morello." She laughed and broke our silence.

We got up from the roof and took one last view of the city before starting our way back to the door. I accidentally kicked the bottle of Jack over, it shattered and the smell of whiskey hit us.

"Hey atleast it was free!" Nicky laughed it off and we headed back down the stairs.

We headed back into the street and decided it was too cold to be out wandering, especially without booze to keep us warm. She walked us back to the apartment building and I decided to take her back to my place this time. It was almost midnight, and we were still slightly buzzed, but mostly tired.

As soon as we got into my apartment, I offered to take her jacket. She slid it off her shoulders, and I could've watched her do that a million times because she made it so sexy. She handed it to me, and I took it from her and threw it on the floor, wasting absolutely no time to push her with my lips on hers towards my bedroom.

She stumbled backwards as I guided our bodies in deep kiss to the edge of my bed. She had already started kissing my neck and taking off my clothes, until I pulled her face up to mine, and pushed her body down on her back. It was my turn. I kissed her like I meant it and our tongues still had a hint of whiskey on them, giving our kiss an extra hint of flavor. I loved the way she kissed me, how her tongue swirled with mine, I could get lost in it. I had to force myself to take my lips off hers, and I began to work my way down to her neck, simultaneously lifting her shirt over her shoulders.

Nicky's here in front of me, in my bed, lying on her back in her bra and I'm overwhelmed at how lucky I am in this moment, she's all mine. I patched her body with my kisses, over her breasts and down the center of her stomach. I could see her looking down at me, and unable to control my thirst for her mouth on mine I returned to her intoxicating tongue. As we kissed and kissed, I took off her bra, revealing her perfectly sized breasts. I sucked them and looked up at her as I did. I continued my path to the button on her pants, and I slid them down her legs, peeling them off, exposing her smooth and toned limbs. I needed to kiss them, I kissed all over her thighs, making my way up to her hips. I slid my fingers down her thighs and separated them, allowing me to fill the space between. Her head was back and she was already restless, I could tell she was internally begging for me, and I wanted her to, but I was crazy to think that Nicky Nichols actually _needed_ something from someone enough to ask. I put my finger between her hip bone and her panties, and let it snap against her skin. I could already see she was extremely wet for me, and I decided not to torture her for much longer. I took her panties off of her, and they fell off the edge of the bed. I sucked on her inner thighs, as close as I could get to her wetness, just barely touching it. She was squirming for me, and I was loving every second of it. Finally, I set my tongue against her and began to please her. I sucked her clit and slid my fingers inside of her, her moans were now overpowered and they came out as broken rasps of "fuck". Her hands were twisting my sheets as I wiggled my fingers against her gspot, and with every second she contracted tighter and tigher until her body went completely limp and she came into my thrusts. I lapped up her juices and felt so unbelievably accomplished that I had finally broken Nicky Nichols down, making her completely under _my_ spell this time. I was the one in control, and making Nicky all mine was indescribable.

I straddled her hips when I was done, and I grabbed a cigarette from the pocket of her pants that were on the edge of the bed. I put it between her lips and lit it for her, not a care in the world that Christopher hated cigarettes, and hated more than anything when they were smoked in the house, not to mention his bed. I was half naked on top of this girl as we each took drags of the cigarette. When we finished it I curled up next to her, putting the covers over both of us and we drifted asleep.

I was woken up from my deep sleep by a loud thud coming from my living room. I looked over at the clock and it was 3:55am. Nicky was asleep next to me, naked under the covers. I rolled out of bed and opened the door, and gasped at what I saw.

"Hey, what's going on?" Nicky murmured from the bed. "Oh shit."

**Author Notes-**

**I hope you're all enjoying the story thus far! It's mostly made up on the spot while writing it. I'm not sure what's to come but I hope you guys are intrigued! Reviews make my day and suggestions are always welcome! :)**


	6. Sticking Up For Me

I turned back at Nicky's voice and her face was lit up by the beam of light coming from the living room. Her make up was sloppy around her eyes and I could barely see her chest with the bed sheet wrapped around her. As much of a distraction she was, I kept my focus on what was going on outside of the room. I crept out and saw everything I didn't want to. I saw Christopher's back and bare ass moving ontop of a woman underneath him on our couch. I could see her nails digging into his back, her legs wrapped around him and her moans were uneven drunken mumbles. I backed into my room and immediately went into Nicky's arms, sobbing and shaking. Nicky knew exactly what was happening. She whispered in my ear, "what are you gonna do?" Everything in my mind was overflowing, and answering her was the last thing I was able to do. This was it. This is the moment where everything crumbles around me. Nicky was rocking me back and fourth in her arms under my covers, her hand was on the back of my head and I could smell our night of whiskey, nicotine and kisses on her skin.

"You can't do this. Somethins' gotta be said Lorna. Go out there and make it how things are going to be. No more hiding." Her voice was quiet but stern and it injected me with a fear I'd never felt before. "Get up, go."

She let go of me and wiped my tears from my cheeks, giving me a comforting nod. I walked out of the room to my cheating boyfriend and the girl he had on the couch with him, they were finished at this point, just lying there in silence.

"Christopher.." My voice shook and there was no hope for my tears staying in my eyes.

He got startled and jumped up, quickly dressing himself. "Shit! Lorna- babe, I -I didn't know you were home. This isn't what it looks like-"

"What is it then, Christopher?" Nickys voice emerged from behind me, she was dressed now, thank god.

"What? Who the fuck invited you in here?" He was so angry now, his veins were visible through his forehead.

"Oh didn't you know? Your girlfriend would rather spend her time with me because you're a fucking douchebag."

He stormed over to Nicky, towering over her. I had to stand in between them and make sure neither one of them started swinging, because both of them would. I was too overwhelmed that I didn't even notice his blonde haired girl had stumbled out.

They started screaming at each other with me in the middle, calling each other names and getting dangerously close. Finally Christopher's voice overpowered Nicky's-

"What the fuck is that? A fucking hickey on your neck, do I dare ask who it's from?! Were you sleeping in MY fucking bed?! Is this what's going on?!" Nicky went silent, almost as if she had regretted ever stepping out to stick up for me.

I stepped into Christopher, separating the two of them,

"Christopher, you don't understand." I spoke calmly, trying to make him simmer down, but his temper was too wild to control.

"Nooooo fucking way, no _fucking _way Lorna! You evil, sneaky bitch!" He pushed everything off of our counter, glasses and bottles shattering against the floor. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of our apartment, shaking the walls with the slam of the door. I could hear the people who live above us banging on the floor in attempt to make us quiet down. This was the worst possible case scenario, and everything I thought that could go wrong, did.

Nicky looked at me like she didn't know what to say. She finally lifted her head and began with "I'm so sorr-"

"Nicky. Just go. Leave. Get out of here. Leave!" Every emotion I didn't want to feel had overcame me. I was angry. I was angry at Christopher, I was angry at Nicky, and I was angry at myself. Everything good was ruined. Nicky slammed the door behind her, heading back to her apartment and I sat on my bed with my face in my hands, Nicky's scent still lingering in my covers. I put the blankets over my face and felt something against my leg, Nicky's bra. Apparently she hadn't put it on before coming out and getting in the middle. I furiously grabbed it and threw it across the room, completely heated, overwhelmed and upset over what had just went down. Now there's a strong smell of whiskey, stale cigarette smoke surrounding me, with shattered glass all over the floor and screams still in my head with Nicky's bra staring at me from the corner of the room. This is what I've done.


	7. A Hickey For A Hickey

After crying myself to sleep, I woke up in my empty bed. The room was grey and dreary and out my window it was a rainy day in New York. I thought about how just a few hours ago I had everything how I wanted it to be. Nicky by my side and Christopher clueless. I laid there for an hour or so just procrastinating on dealing with my issues. All the good things I had were now being used against me to make me just as upset as they made me happy. So what happens now? Are Christopher and I over? Is Nicky ever going to speak to me again? The questions are overflowing my head. I don't want to be by myself. I can't. Having no one is not an option for somebody like me.

I got out of bed, walking past Nicky's bra and out into the living room and kitchen where glass had been shattered everywhere. It looked like somebody had broken into my apartment solely just to smash my plates. Or should I say our plates. I don't know where Christopher is right now, and he didn't grab his phone so there's nothing I can do about it. I do know where Nicky is though, and that's what I need to fix right now. I'm not sure where to start, I kicked her out of my apartment for sticking up for me. I feel awful about myself.

I opened the door to head to her apartment- and there was Christopher, coincidentally just about to open it himself.

"Where are you going?" He was pissed and he walked into our apartment, forcing me back in.

"Christopher.. where were you?" I spoke softly, I'm not able to handle him right now and I can't rattle him.

"Where do you think?" He walked passed me, intentionally showing me his neck was absolutely _covered_ in hickeys.

I started to tear up at the sight of them, knowing that it was all on purpose to hurt me.

"So Nicky, she wasn't just your new friend, was she? You were fucking her? So what, you're a lesbian now? You're attracted to a cigarette smoking, alcoholic dyke?"

I went over to him and looked right up into his face.

"Don't you dare say those things about her. You don't even know her."

"Oh, but you do? It's been what, 2 or 3 weeks since we've moved here and you're replacing our 5 months?" He looked down at me, towering his near over 6 foot body over mine.

"Christopher. You have been cheating on me since the first day I met Nicky, you pushed me away. Don't deny it. Don't."

My lip was quivering and every part of my body was trembling, trying to fight back the hysterical crying. It felt so relieving to let out the secret of me knowing about what he does while he's "working."

He went silent and just looked at me. I had never felt more uncomfortable in my life. He stepped back and began to pick up the broken glass that he caused from last night.

"So you decide that since I did that, it's fine for you to do the same, yeah?"He was talking softly, as if I was finally the one to prove him wrong.

"Correct me if I'm wrong that_ you_ fucked up first. Things might be a little different for me then. Ever think it might hurt a little?" I can't believe I haven't broke down yet.

"Babe-"

"Stop with the babe! Christopher you can't win me over like that anymore! We are different now! Don't you get it? You fucked up, I fucked up and now were here!" I put my arms out, referring to all of the broken glass and mess around us. It was the first time I had actually yelled at him. His ignorance was making my blood boil.

"So what now? Are we done, that's it?" He's still extremely calm and it's a miracle he isn't screaming back at me right now.

"I don't know, I just don't know. It obviously can't work like this." I shook my head, feeling my cheeks flush in redness.

"Here's what Lorna. You choose. Nicky or me. Who do you want? You want me, you live here, you get a job and we stay loyal to each other and love each other until the end of every fucking day. You choose Nicky, and who fucking cares. Live with her, you won't stay with me and I won't support you."

Everything went silent and my heart sunk. He looked me in my eyes like he wanted me to stay, and it was killing me that I had to tell him that things are going to be different, as much as I didn't want them to be. This is where Nicky would come in and stand up for me. Or say something like "_You can't do this forever, no more hiding."_

"You are right. I _don't_ know Nicky that well. But what I do know about her is that she's not going to go to her job and flirt with other people. She won't freak out over a forgotten pastry from Starbucks and make me go out in a wet shirt. She's everything that you aren't. And funny thing is, Christopher, this apartment is under _my _name. I'll go and get a job and pay for it myself. For as long as you're here, you're helping. You don't wanna help? Go stay at that blonde bimbos house. She seems to like marking her territory. You're leaving one way or another, and this will all be mine." I felt so proud of myself for putting my foot down like that. To have all the power in a situation like this is actually saving my life right now.

Christopher had no reaction. I went to the door and yelled "figure it out!" before slamming it behind me and heading to Nicky's apartment to see if I can fix this storm of fuck I have caused.

"Nick?" I knocked on her door twice, and there was no answer.

After about a minute of waiting and contemplating what I should do, I decided to let myself in. The door squeaked, and I could hear muffled classic rock music coming from her bedroom, and fresh cigarette smoke was lingering in the air.

I followed the tunes into her bedroom, and found her sitting against her wall on her bed, headphones on and with a notebook on her lap and an ashtray by her side. She looked up when she saw me enter the room, and she said nothing.

"Nicky, can we talk?"

She looked back down at her notebook and continued to write, completely ignoring me. I walked to her bed and lightly grabbed the cigarette between her fingers, sat next to her and waiting for a response.

"What's the matter? Christopher kick you out, so now you come running to me? Shit doesn't fly like that." Her headphones were now around her neck, music still playing. She grabbed the cigarette from my hand, took a last drag and put it out next to her.

"No, actually. I came here to tell you that I'm sorry. I should have never tried to play both sides. It was always you who ended up coming first this past week Nick. I didn't care about being with him, cause you were so great to be around." My accent was soft and shaky, but I managed to get the words out.

"Look, you've been with this guy for 5 months, yeah? you haven't even known me 1. You need to get your shit straight. I'm sorry that I turned you into a cheating, lying, fuckin'... whatever, kind of girl. It shouldn't have happened, so yeah. Do what's right for you kid, I don't think I'm it."

"But you are. I think Christopher's moving out because we can't work it out anymore. It's just going to be me soon and I don't want to ignore each other, Nicky, please."

She looked at me with an unimpressed expression, "So you kick boyfriend out because he cheated on you, so you can continue your affair with the chick that lives 2 floors up. Nice."

"You know it's not like that. Do you know what I just went through? Do you? My boyfriend left me for somebody new to fuck. I didn't leave him for that. I liked being around you, not just fucking you. I'm not like that." It wasn't more of an apology like I hoped it would be, but now it started to sound like an argument, and she didn't seem to care.

"What do I say? I'm sorry that you cheated on your cheating boyfriend and that you had to go through a fucking break up? Gimme a break kid. I stood up for you and you told me to fuck right off for that guy not even 24 hours ago."

"So you don't want to be around me anymore?" I looked up at her, and the tears finally came down my cheeks.

She put her hand under my chin and looked right through me.

"Lorna, look at me. I like you, I really fucking do. I want to make you forget all this shit, but it doesn't work like that. You let me know when Christopher moves out and we'll talk. I know that relationships don't cut so clean like that. There's always more to it. And that's the kind of shit that fucks me over every time."

She wiped my tears and sent me off. "You'll figure it out. Shit takes time."

I headed back to my apartment and opened the door- Christopher had his bags packed and he was ready to leave.

"I left you $50 on the table. Go ahead and get your job, see what it's like without me. Maybe I'll see you around, but hopefully not."

He rolled his bags behind him and left. I couldn't believe it all just ended like that. I was supposed to marry him. We were supposed to honey moon in Bora Bora Bora together. And now it's gone. Every bit of it. As the door shut my heart dropped and the tears came flushing down my cheeks. I was moaning in heartbreak, knowing that everything leading up to this was gone. I leaned onto the counter and put my head into my hands, holding myself up with my elbows just weeping. I have nobody. I slid back, attempting to pick myself up and head to the bathroom, and as I did a shard of glass sliced my arm, just adding onto everything. I was now alone, bleeding and rejected by everyone around me. I turned the shower on and cried until I had no tears left. That night I went to bed feeling nothing but pure darkness and emptiness.

Now I need to search for a job, and support myself in this crazy world. It's now up to me to survive in the streets of New York. I have no choice but to be ready for it, and that's what I'm going to do.


	8. Coffee Stains

It's been 2 weeks since Christopher moved out, and I haven't heard a word from him since. I found work as a receptionist at the urgent care center down by Grand Central Station. I walk by Christopher's bar everyday, and it seems he doesn't work there anymore. My best guess is that he moved back with his parents. More importantly, I haven't seen Nicky at all. We haven't passed each other in the street, in the elevator, anywhere. I haven't even gotten a text from her. I don't even know if she still lives in the same building anymore. It's the loneliest I have ever been in my life, and I've been thinking about moving back to Massachusetts with my family. Everything was better there, even before I met Christopher.

I've been fighting the urge to just send Nicky a text and ask her how she's been. I haven't met anybody like her since I've been here. I have a few friends from work, who I've been out for drinks with, but it doesn't come close to matching up to the times Nicky and I had. Speaking of which, I have to be at the front desk in an hour. The night shift is a lot easier on me because it's not so busy. I twirled the last bite of my spaghetti in my fork, put my plate in the sink and headed to the job, walking alone in the night streets of Manhattan.

I actually enjoy going to work more than anything right now. It distracts me from the lonely life I have outside, where I do nothing but drink wine by myself and watch Netflix on my couch, thinking about all the different things I could have done to be anywhere but the position I'm in right now. I'm not entirely sure if I regret cheating on Christopher. If there's one thing I learned these past two weeks, it's that I don't need him. I deserve much better. And the whole Nicky situation, she deserves much better than me. I feel so much guilt when I think about how I treated her. I made her feel like second best, when really, by the end of it all, all I wanted was her. That's what I regret most.

The hours go by slow, which isn't a bad thing. Usually the people who come in are suffering from a strain of the flu or a bad cold, sweating and dripping noses, demanding drugs like Ambien or cough syrup with Codeine in it. Some people come in already on these medications, for instance a man came in two nights ago claiming that he couldn't sleep with the "cats in the corner" and that the "snakes were telling his secrets." He later admitted to doing a bunch of LSD, which there's nothing we can do about. I make good money, enough to pay for the apartment by myself and basic needs.

When I open my dresser drawers to get into my comfy clothes before bed, Nicky's sweatpants are folded on top of the pile and her bra next to them. I don't think she wants them back, either that or she forgot about them. I think about wearing her sweatpants some nights, and I do. Every now and then I see the shirt I was wearing when I first met her, there's coffee forever stained into it. Sometimes I crack a smile at it. Sometimes not.

I got a text from one of the girls at work asking me if I want to grab a drink tomorrow night.

(_Valarie)  
><em>

_Hey girly. Want to grab a drink after my shift tomorrow? _

_(Lorna)_

_Sure :) We can go to that new place on 52nd. 730 sound good?_

_(Valarie)_

_You got it. I'll text u then.:)_

On that note, I went to bed relieved that I don't need to work tomorrow. The sound of the November wind out my window put me fast asleep.

Waking up in the morning is always nice. I feel too groggy to think about the day ahead of me for most of the time. The quietness used to give me anxiety but the sound of my coffee maker is just fine. I later ended up getting groceries and taking a walk in Central Park during my free time since today is my day off. Each day gets colder and colder but I'm used to it. It's also a good reason to wear nice jackets and scarves, which I love to mix and match.

When I got back to my apartment, I freshened up and got ready to go out with Valarie. She always wears the newest fashion line of clothes, making herself look extra expensive and shiny like the jewelry around her neck. It must make her look extra great being around me, dressing down in all casual wear. When we met at the bar, she ordered us a few margaritas and we laughed about the weird situations that go on at work.

"This lady's shirt looked like she bought it from baby gap! I couldn't take her seriously when she was asking me where the bathroom was with half her nip coming out and saying hi to me! Thing almost poked my eye out!"

Valarie was hilarious about lots of things, but she was also the type of person to judge people on what they look like or sound like, and I hate it when she does that.

"Look at this girl, you think she owns a friggin' hair brush? Honey you think that blazer looks worth a pay check or two, but we both know you got it from the salvation army." She pointed across the bar. I usually laugh along with her just so I don't cause any issues, but this time when I looked over at her next judge dummy... I nearly had a heart attack. There was Nicky, heading out the door, reaching in her pocket for a cigarette in her blacked out outfit.


	9. Came Back To Bite Me

"Excuse me for a second, I just have to use the ladies room." I got up and walked away from Valarie and I's table, shuffling through the drunken New Yorkers who've already become regulars at this bar. I opened the door to the street and looked both ways, and directly to my right was Nicky, with her back against the brick wall, taking a drag of her cigarette. My stomach sank, feeling like poison just spurted out from my insides, burning and chewing through itself. Nicky looked in my direction, and her face was just blank. Not that I could ever see what she was thinking anyways, but the look in her eyes was just plain, empty space.

"Nicky-"

We started the conversation at the same time, and her words overpowered mine.

"Well this is awkward, huh? Thought the whole avoiding game was going pretty smoothly." Her eyebrows were tightened and her eyes squinted, like it was causing her physical pain to talk.

"I don't want you to avoid me. I just want to talk to you, please."

"Go for it." She slurred a bit, and it looked as if that brick wall was the only thing keeping her on her feet.

"Jeez, Nick are you okay? Are you drunk?" I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to get a better look at her eyes.

"Can I saya secret? Yes." She wasn't talking right, and I could only imagine how many drinks she's had.

"Who are you here with?"

"Eh," She dragged her cigarette in between her words, "Not anyone important. Myself. No worries though, no worries."

Her eyes were beginning to close and her hand dropped to her side with the cigarette between her fingers.

"I gotta get you back Nick, come on let's go."

"What makes you think I wanna leave? I'm just good. I'm good."

"Just trust me,"

"Trust you? Like actually trust you?" She wasn't being her usual drunk self, and she seemed to find away to go against everything I said.

"I'm going to get you home, just please let me get you somewhere where I know you'll be safe. Here, let's smoke a butt and walk." I spoke sweetly, hoping to convince her.

She stumbled off the wall and we started down the sidewalk, I held onto her so she wouldn't run into the wrong person, and we smoked, and walked, and it felt all too familiar. I sent Val a text as we were walking

(Lorna)

_Val- sorry. I ran into a friend who needs my help. I'll pay you back at work, I'm sorry. Gotta deal with this._

I locked my phone, not caring about a text back. What's important is straggling aside of me, chain smoking and swearing about people walking in her way.

We reached our apartments and I offered her to stay at my place.

"Hey, sleep at my place so I can keep an eye on you."

She said nothing, and we headed into my apartment and I lead her to the bedroom.

"What the fuck, Morello." She collapsed on my bed and I covered her and put a water on the bedside table.

"Go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow." I closed my bedroom door and fell asleep on my couch, just so I made it clear I didn't want to take advantage of her and complicate things.

* * *

><p>I woke to the sounds of Nicky throwing up in my bathroom. I walked in and rubbed her back as she kneeled into my toilet. "What the fuck, Morello." She moaned into the toilet, funny how drunk Nicky's words said same thing as next-morning-hungover Nicky.<p>

When she finished puking she sickly waddled back into my bedroom and laid back in my bed. "You feelin' okay now?"

"I just wanna know what the fuck happened. Should I be thanking you right now?" Her voice was extremely broken, more raspy than usual.

"I saw you really drunk outside the bar last night and I wanted to make sure you were safe. I care about you, Nicky. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." I sat on my bed next to her and waited for her response. Her eyes were closed against one of my pillows and her hand was on her head, trying to stop the throbbing.

"Let's save this conversation for later, please. I just really need to not do this right now." She felt around for me, and once her fingers grasped my t-shirt she pulled me down next to her, and we slept through the next hours of the morning.

Once we awoke, I felt so incredible. It was the same feeling I had the first night I met Nicky, everything was good. Nicky tossed next to me, waking up from the sense of me being awake next to her.

"I knew this shit was gonna happen sooner or later." She spoke softly into the pillow, and her mood seemed to have brightened a ton. It was happy Nicky, and I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"You're the one that said there's no gettin' rid of ya! Rememba that?" I said as her sleepy eyes met mine, still resting on the side of the pillow.

"My words always come back to bite me." She laughed and I gave her a playful nudge on the arm.

"Fuck, Morello. What the hell is wrong with us?"

"So much. But I love it."

"My clothes smell like cigarettes and booze, and they're making me wanna gag again."

I got up out of bed and opened my dresser drawer to her bra and sweatpants, "Just when I thought these were gonna be mine for good. Look familiar?" I tossed them to her and she smiled.

"Shit, I forgot all about these. I know the sweatpants are mine, but the bra? The fucks up with that?"

"When you tried to fight Christopher you were bra-less. You left it in the bed, and I was so mad because it kept reminding me of you." I giggled.

She laughed and put her newly reunited sweatpants and bra on, all in front of me. Her hair was a mess, and her makeup run down as usual after her reckless nights, but I missed it so much. I watched her undress and redress, her body was still so intriguing, her legs were the best I had ever seen and all though it was only her backside, I still couldn't stop my eyes from locking onto her.

It was almost noon, and I was on the work schedule for 1pm today. I explained to Nick that Christopher was gone, and that I had gotten a new job and she told me about what she's been up to the past two weeks, which consisted of lots of writing, reading and drinking.

"You're workin' at that urgent care center? No fuckin' way! I used to go there all the time in college! Alcohol poisoning, ear infections, broken toes, you name it. I was a fucked up kid, I tell ya." Our conversations branched out and it was like nothing had ever happened. I think we were both ready to forget and move on to better things. We couldn't avoid each other forever, and that's for sure.

Eventually I got ready for work and Nicky headed back to her apartment.

"I'm gonna go sleep the rest of this hangover off. I still feel like shit. Come see me after work, yeah?"

I told her I would be walking through her door around 9 tonight. "No drinking tonight, troublemaker."

When I got to work I had explained to Valarie that the girl who doesn't own a hairbrush was my best friend and that she had a little too much and needed to get home. I didn't care what she thought of Nicky, because in my eyes I see nothing but beauty. I would take the girl who drinks too much and chain smokes in her salvation army blazers any day, and I plan to do so for as long as the City is my home.

* * *

><p><strong>Author notes<strong>

**Alright, so I don't even know how this story has blossomed to what it's become. I hope you're all enjoying it and it means so much to me that people are actually reading it. I hope this chapter didn't suck too bad, or was too predictable, considering I wrote this on literally an hour of sleep. I keep telling myself to hear Lorna's voice in my head, so if some of her dialogue seems a bit off I sincerely apologize. Suggestions and reviews are lovely and I appreciate all of you who have to no measure. :) Hot stuff soon to come. Thank you all again! **


	10. Tell Me What You Want

For the first time in the last few weeks, I was itching to get home from my chair at work. Valarie didn't seem to care at all about what happened, just about getting the money I owed her back. She went on and on and on telling me about how she's going shopping later and all the shit she's gonna buy. Her gabbing never really bothered me before, but now that I know I have Nicky in her apartment waiting for me, it was making the day so, so sluggish. I was so anxious to get home that I clocked out at exactly 9.

I didn't even bother going to my apartment to change or anything, I went straight to Nicky's door and walked in. She was sitting on her couch, feet up on her coffee table with a blanket over her and a few empty water bottles on the floor next to her.

"Jesus, you even make those scrubs look hot." She didn't hesitate a second to make me smile.

"I don't even know why they have us wearin' these, I'm only a receptionist ya know." I closed and locked the door behind me and headed over to the couch.

"ay, remember how sick I was this morning? You're my nurse tonight." Her devilish smirk that I missed so much was back. I honestly believe that there's no place I'd rather be right now.

She was still in just her sweatpants I gave back and her bra, which I don't even question why she doesn't have a shirt on, I mean, it's Nicky. Anything goes. I stepped over her legs on the coffee table, knocking them down in the process. She was also wearing black socks with bats all over them, again- there doesn't need to be an explanation. I put myself right next to her and pulled the blanket she was using over me so we could share it. She had already been watching TV, but we decided to put on a movie instead. It was The Lucky One.

"Y'know, I think if I was straight, I'd date somebody like Zac Efron. I mean the guy is sexy as hell." It was almost weird for me to hear her talk about a guy like that.

"Y'know Nicky," I mocked her in my voice, "If I wasn't straight, I think I'd date somebody like Taylor Schilling. But I'm not gay, so" She gave me a dirty look and pushed me away and I started laughing.

"I take that as a compliment, seeing as I uh, turned you over a bit." Of course she adds a little confidence in it all, which is so Nicky.

"Did you mean that literally, or figuratively?" I was giving her lead way to do whatever she wanted with that question.

She looked at me, with just barely her smirk and looked back at the TV. "You think I'm that easy, Morello, but I'm not. I see what you're doing over there."

I was actually disappointed that she didn't take the bait. But oh, it was definitely making me want to try even harder.

"Easy? Pshhh. It's not like gettin you was a simple ride in an elevator. Was it?"

She gave me a huge smile, like I was finally able to outdo her in comebacks. Defeating Nicky Nichols wasn't impossible, but damn it was hard.

"You're really distracting me from this movie right now." She was basically ready to explode in laughter, but she held it in knowing I wouldn't get the satisfaction. We weren't really touching anymore, our backs were leaning away from each other, but our hips were just barely meeting together.

She got up all of a sudden and headed to her kitchen. Still in sight, I could see that she got a drink of water and pulled a cherry out of the jar in the fridge, taking it off the stem with her mouth and eating it. She came back to the couch and I took the obvious opportunity to make some comments.

"I bet you can't tie the stem with your tongue. They say that's how to tell if you're a good kisser or not."

"So what are you saying, you don't think I can tie this shit?" She spoke with the stem between her teeth and grinned.

"I mean, your tongue has some nice skills.. for things. but no way!" I laughed, knowing that she would use my doubt to prove me wrong.

She pulled the stem out of her mouth and spit the knot at me.

She walked back over to me and just as she was about to get back on the couch, I pulled her in and gave her the kiss I've been wanting to give her for weeks. I pulled her to me with my hand on the back of her neck and before I knew it she was on top of me on her couch. Her kiss would have tasted good even without the cherries, but I guess that's why they talk about the cherry on top, because it was so delicious. She started using more and more force in our kiss and as she did I took my top half of my scrubs off, giving us a brief second to catch our breath. I never wanted her lips to part from mine, but she broke the pull I had on the back of her neck with my hand and started to kiss down my neck. It was so sexy, the way her body moved against mine as she did it, the way her tongue felt against my skin, sucking and spreading the hotness all over my neck, even towards the the top and back of my shoulders. She came back up and kissed my lips again, still so forceful yet so smooth, and while she was doing so she put her hand down my pants. She didn't waste anytime like she normally would, she went under my panties and scrubs all in one push. I was basically dripping for this girl at this point and I couldn't fight the urge to rock my hips into her hand and body at the same time. She was just rubbing over me, making my clit throb for her touch. She stopped her kiss and put her other hand around my neck and her voice rasped into my mouth, "Tell me what you want." Her face and her voice was so serious, and so sexy. I gasped at her movements below my waist, and tried to whisper out " fuck . me. " She pushed her fingers inside me with no warning before I could even finish telling her. I moaned out as her fingers were now doing wonders to my wet arousal and she muffled my sounds with her own mouth, tasting the moans and pleasure she was giving me. She pushed her fingers in and out, while generously putting pressure on my gspot. It wasn't even a minute until I was ready to cum, and I rocked into her body and fingers on top of mine, unable to kiss her now, throwing my head back and completely losing it.

I came without her even taking my pants off, now being left with soaked panties and scrubs. She slowed down her fingers as I came down from my explosion, and she put them in my mouth, making me suck off my own enjoyment. She just watched with an extremely satisfied, proud but straight face. It could have been the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life. After that, she gave me a short, but extremely deep kiss, tasting a mixture of cherries and arousal between our tongues. She let go of me and just grinned. "So is that what you wanted?"

I still couldn't formulate words, so I just nodded, tears in my eyes from the amount of pleasure that was still streaming through my body.

After a few minutes of getting myself back together, she went into her room and brought out another pair of pants for me to borrow, seeing as she was the cause of disaster in my scrubs. "Here. Looks like you might need these." She smirked and pulled my pants and lace down my body, looking up at me the entire time. She slid her grey sweatpants up my bare lower body and smiled, planting a kiss on my stomach. She then laid with me,

"So you'd still only go gay for Taylor Schilling?"

"Fuck you." I smiled into her chest, our bodies huddled together on her couch, both in just sweatpants and our bras. She traced her fingers up and down my arm and I wished I could hold that feeling forever.

"Thank you." I whispered, just before falling asleep.


	11. A Bloody Nose

I slipped out from under Nicky's arm on her couch and headed to her kitchen to make us some coffee. I tiptoed and looked back to see if she'd moved, hoping I didn't wake her. Nope, she was still sunk into the corner, hand in her waistband and arm streched out, half dangling off the couch from where I was lying. I reached up to her cabinet to get our coffee mugs, unfortunately I couldn't reach them because they were pushed to the back of the cabinet. I climbed on her counter top and grabbed the mug, and just as I was stepping down, it slipped out of my hand and shattered against the floor. Shit. Nicky shuffled around and peeped her eyes open.

"Shit, I'm sorry Nick I just wanted to make ya some coffee, where's your broom?"

"Fuck it, I'll get it up later. Hows out for coffee instead? Think you can handle that?" Her morning voice was extra gravely- and by that I mean extra sexy.

"Oh screw you!" I went over to the couch and sat next to her, she was still lying down comfortably and put her hand over my lap.

"Hey, remember all those burns on your chest that made us meet? Those were from me. I mean, I guess I fucked up the whole coffee thing first." This was her attempt to soften the insult she threw at me, and I have to admit I couldn't get mad at her if I tried right now.

I just looked at her and smiled, leaning down to give her a kiss on the lips.

We were both off today so we took our time, strolling through Central Park and just taking in the city around us. She mentioned that she wanted to go to Hard Rock tonight to see some live music, calling it "taking me out." Normally I'd prefer a nice quiet restaurant away from the crazies of New York but hey, if it makes Nicky happy then that's all I need.

We headed back to her apartment and showered together. Surprisingly Nicky never took advantage of lathering me down in soap, but just kept it simple. "You're fuckin' killing me, you know that right?" She growled in my ear as she took my body into hers and rubbed her soapy hands down my back. I don't want what we have to be just sex, because at this point it's more than that. I'm scared to death to call it a relationship, and I think she is too._ But why is she afraid?_

We sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks. Nicky was grinning from ear to ear the entire time, rocking back and forth to the music and enjoying her buzz. I really didn't care much for the sounds around us, I was just happy to see Nicky happy. We were laughing and talking and having a fantastic time and there was nothing that could bring me down. Well, so I thought. I watched Nicky bring the glass to her lips and she sipped her beer, when her eyes locked in on something across the room and her face sank. I looked over, and there he was. Satan himself. Christopher sitting with a random chick across the bar, who looked completely uninterested. It was a weird feeling because it looked as though he had already spotted us. We made painfully stinging eye contact and I knew that bad, bad shit was going to happen. And I was right.

"You're fucking kidding me." Nicky said, taking her glasses off of her face.

"Just ignore him, let's go."

This time I thought it was Nicky starting shit with him that I'd have to worry about. Before we could finish our drinks and get up, he came walking over, waddling like he was in a gang or something, like he was ready to beat someone up. I gulped the rest of my beer down because I knew I'd need it.

"What a surprise! You're drinking with Nicky. Has she cheated on you yet Nicky? You do know that she'll fuck guys too, right? Shit, we both know she's easier than she looks." It sounded like he's been drinking all day. He was always a mean drunk.

"Hey Christopher how about you back the fuck off before I punch your fucking nose in, yeah? Fuck off, she left you." Nicky turned her body away from him in hopes that he'd leave us alone.

"Christopher. Leave." I made sure he knew that I was dead serious, and I turned my back aswell, facing the opposite direction.

He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around, "You know, Lorna. You were never that great anyway, I mean, you bought me whatever the fuck I wanted, but it was always the girls next door that made me cum. I hope that's not the same case for you N-"

Nicky swung her body around and interrupted him.

"Don't you dare fucking _talk to her or touch_ her again. Leave us the fuck alone."

He then drunkenly leaned into Nicky, which he was surely going to regret. "Don't worry, I've touched that, it's nothing special, you know that though, I'm sure."

Nicky stared off into the distance for a second, almost like she was begging for somebody to pull this guy away from her, away from us. Then she lost it, she turned around and swung, punching him right in the nose, knocking his glasses off and sending him backwards.

Everyone went silent and watched as he checked his hand to see if his nose was bleeding, which in fact it was.

Before anyone could say anything, security was taking all three of us out the door and kicking us out of the restaurant. Nicky threw her hands up and accepted the consequences, and the crowd clapped as we were dragged out separate doors.

"I'm sorry Lorna, I just couldn't take it anymore. The guy is fucking tapped. You're none of the things he said."

"No, thank you Nicky, thank you for sticking up for me. I wouldn't have been able to handle that myself."

"Yeah, if that's what you call it. I got you, kid. I wouldn't let that prick make you cry again. Or anyone." She lit up the cigarette between her lips and we started our walk back our apartments.

"I'm sorry that he ruined our night, we were having such a blast. I'll make it up to you Nick,"

"Oh yeah? What's that mean?" She playfully asked.

I shyly smiled at her and we went to my place this time. She leaned into my backside as I was unlocking my door, and her weight on mine pushed us in and we stepped towards my bedroom, her arms around my waist and no space between our my back and her front. We hit my bed, and to me, nothing I could do with my own mouth or fingers would make up for what she's done for me but in her words,

"Fuck, I don't think you'll owe me another thing ever again after that."

I proudly brought tough guy Nicky Nichols over the edge again, and we giggled until we fell asleep, completely tangled up in each other, physically and emotionally.

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><p><strong>Author notes- <strong>

**Wow! I can't believe this has already hit 11 chapters. Hope this one was okay- it's been a few days and it was a little tough getting back into the zone. Thank you all for reading and I desperately look forward to any reviews you guys may have! Also speaking of which, a special thank you to Nicky Morello for always giving me her thoughts! I appreciate it all! Hope you're all still enjoying- let me know if I burn out on this one. I have a few plans for future chapters. **


	12. I Could Get Used To This

"Is it okay if I see you on my lunch break?"

"Yeah, but I don't have the same lunch break as you, you know that right?"

Nicky swung her jacket over her shoulders and grabbed her cigarettes off my table, ready to head out the door.

"I'll come see ya with a work friend. You can be my waitress." I smiled at her, knowing how much she would love the role play.

"I hope you give nice tips. I'll see you then." She smirked and closed the door behind her.

I headed to work shortly after, just anxiously waited for lunch break. I decided to take my friend Christine this time, weighing out my options that Valarie was actually an asshole. I guess she was just nice to have around while Nicky wasn't.

Finally, a few flu cases and hypochondriacs later, it was time for lunch.

Christine and I walked to Nicky's restaurant and sat at a table. Nicky would obviously bend the rules to take care of us even if it wasn't one of her tables.

She walked over to us, looking adorable in her work outfit and little waist pockets with straws sticking out of them.

"Good afternoon ladies, I'm Nicky, I'll be taking care of you today. How we doing?" She asked as if she's never met me before. And as far as Christine knows, I'd never met her before either.

"Oh we're doin, how about you?"

"Same thing different day, you know? Hey, I love that bracelet, where'd ya get it?"

She realized that I put one of her gold bracelets on, and was totally calling me out for it.

"Oh, it's a good friend of mine's. She has the best sense in jewelry."

Nicky smirked and added, "Well that's nice of her. Anyways, what can I get ya to drink?"

We ordered our drinks and as soon as Nicky walked away Christine looked at me, "She's so pretty! That's why I don't become a waitress. You're pretty- you get good tips. You're not- and you get shit."

"Christine! You're gorgeous. But I have to agree, she is flawless." I had a huge smile on my face, cracking up inside that I'm actually going along with this game. It was pretty pathetic, but god it was fun.

Nicky brought our food and drinks over, and we continued to act like we had never met before.

"Hey you guys have a good day. Come back sometime too, you guys seem like a blast." She turned around with that notorious shit eating grin on her face and as I signed the bill, I wrote in my curly cursive letters, "You'll get your tip tonight." Thankfully Christine didn't see, and we headed out.

Once I got back behind my desk, I began to brainstorm about how I would go about giving Nicky her "tip." I know she's thinking sex, but that's not how I want to go about it. Well, not right now atleast. I asked Christine if she could cover me for an hour so I could go home early. I told her it was because my mother was here for the weekend, but that's sure as hell not the case.

I went back to my apartment and lit a few candles, put an expensive bottle of wine on the table and wrapped a key and note dangling off of it. "2 floors and 2 doors is too far."

Seeing as we already basically live together, well technically we do because we're in the same building, it wasn't a HUGE deal to ask her to move in. If we weren't at my place, we were at hers.

She told me she was going to swing by her place first to grab a few things, which I imagine were cigarettes and a change of clothes. I sat restless at my table, waiting for her to walk through the door and give me a reaction. The few minutes that passed seemed like hours.

Finally, she came in.

"Hey kid. Whatsup? You alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine! Just anxious. Wanna open this bottle for us?"

She looked down at the bottle and saw the note with the key dangling.

"Shit, Lorna! You sayin' you want me to move in?"

"Well, that is what keys usually symbolize Nick. Whattya thinkin'?"

"I'm thinking you're fucking crazy and you have no idea what you just got yourself into." She smiled and bent down to kiss me.

We finished the bottle of wine that night and just had great conversations about everything, really. We talked about how oblivious Christine was, how she called Nicky pretty, how deep the ocean is and everything in between. I couldn't stop myself from smiling all night.

"So does this mean we have to cook for each other and shit now?"

I looked at her with an almost upset expression, thinking she didn't want it to be like that yet.

"Because I'm a great cook." She laughed and I exhaled with relief.

"You're so easy to fuck with, it's ridiculous."

"Hey! You love it and you know it." I laughed along with her.

As the night went on and exhaustion set in, we curled up in my, well our bed. I feel bad for Nicky, knowing how terrible of a sleeper I am, stealing covers and never being able to sit still.

"I could get used to this." She said, pulling me into her arms and kissing my head. That was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep, and it was just like a lullaby.


End file.
